Interview with Mark Ronson on DJing, the Electric Peacock Festival and more

Headlining this year’s Electric Peacock Festival DJ/Producer/Musician Mark Ronson(MR) answered a few questions for the Mirror Magazine(MM) on the upcoming festival and more.

MM : Is this your first visit to Sri Lanka? What are your expectations?
MR :This is my first visit and I’m super excited to be playing there.

MM : What can we expect from you at the Electric Peacock Festival?
MR : A DJ set to rival ALL DJ sets. Hip-hop, funk, soul–and a great time.

MM : What about pop culture and DJing in particular has it changed over the last 15-20 or so years you’ve been in the industryand how does it feel to have your name known internationally, especially after the successes in the last few years?

MR : DJ Culture is always evolving and so is the music. My major influence will always be the NYC hip hop scene from the 90’s but I play all sorts of music from Kendrick to HudMo to Stevie Wonder. I’m very grateful that the success of Uptown Special has allowed me to come play interesting places for the first time.

MM : You’ve worked with Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars and Lily Allen, amongst so many others, which has got a lot of coverage here in Sri Lanka, so to quickly touch on that – what was the best thing about working with each of these musicians?

MR : Amy was a brilliant singer and writer. And her music is what put me on the map. Bruno is a brilliant performer, producer, singer and songwriter… the whole package. And Lily is one of my favourite vocalists to ever record. Her new music is the best stuff she’s ever done. They are all incredibly inspiring artistes to work with.

MM :As a DJ – what track never fails to get a crowd going?
MR : Uh, Uptown Funk

MM :What do you see in the future for yourself as a musician and collaborator? What are you working on right now?
MR : I’ve been working with a lot of people. But I don’t like to say anything until it comes out, because things change.

MM : What are your thoughts on the potential for festivals like Electric Peacock Festival in South Asia?
MR : I think it’s amazing that festivals like this give me and other bands and DJ’s the opportunity to come play for a whole new audience.

Catch the Electric Peacock Festival on Friday, December 4 at the CR&FC Grounds. Buy your tickets on shopbox.lk (VIP Rs. 5000/Standard entry Rs. 3500)